DELSU ends 16-year tears of physically-challenged UNIOSUN student

The tears of 16 years for 21-year-old Miss Karimot Lawal, was yesterday erased by the Delta State University (DELSU) when the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Roseline Aziza, presented a cheque of N2 million to Lawal in Lagos State, whose story published in a national daily moved the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Victor Peretomode, to action.

The journey to yesterday’s new dawn began on April 28, 2018 when a newspaper published the story of how a physically-challenged student of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) had an accident at the age of five during which part of her foot was not only cut off, but a dog ran away with it. Her inability to get the right medical attention due to financial constraints exposed Lawal to humiliation, discrimination, physical, emotional and psychological torture.

But inspite of her condition, she against the odds worked hard to earn money and enroll for tertiary education. The story ended with her appeal to the public for financial assistance to seek the right medical help and buy a prosthesis costing N1,800,000. On the day the story was published, DELSU VC, Peretomode read it, was touched, discussed it with his wife, Dr. Otaroghene Peretomode, who both decided to help Lawal in their little way. The VC presented Lawal’s story to the university Senate and the management decided to intervene and end Lawal’s pain of 16 years by raising the money needed through donation by members.

Presenting two cheques in Lagos yesterday, the DVC, Prof Aziza, said the gesture by the university was to encourage everyone going through challenges never to lose hope.

“We presented Lawal with N1,800,000 for the full sum of the prosthesis to replace the bad foot and another N250,000 for her to complete her university education.”

Fighting back tears, the 300-level student of History and International Relations, UNIOSUN, thanked the VC’s family and DELSU management for their sincere sympathy to her plight. “I thought my world had ended the day dog ran away with my foot but with this rare gesture, I will be able to get my confidence back and my dream has finally come to reality.”

Representative of UNIOSUN Vice Chancellor, Dr. Adesola Adesote, said the rare gesture of the DELSU VC and management is a great lesson in the oneness of Nigeria. “We are overwhelmed that rescue can come to one of our student from Delta State. What the DELSU VC has done is a legacy that will endure the test of time and what is needed at this time in our country to heal the wounds of distrust and disunity.”